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New! College Student; Humira

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 11/14/2011 2:57 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone! I'm seventeen years old (eighteen in just a few days! yay!) and a freshman in college. I was diagnosed with crohn's disease in March 2010, during my junior year of high school. My father has had the disease for over forty years so I am lucky enough that we caught it early and were able to get me treated asap.

Since arriving at college, I've found my symptoms to be significantly worse, to the point where I was going home random weekends because I just couldn't stand the be at school and feeling the way I do. My mornings are absolutely terrible and I'm woken up by pain or cramping about two hours before my alarm every morning...really have no use for an alarm anymore!

GI doctor did a colonoscopy about two weeks ago and found a ton of inflammation. I am currently on asacol and 6mp (have been since my diagnosis). I was also put on prednisone (35 mg) tapering 5mg every week following the colonoscopy, so I'm currently on my second of eight weeks.

In the next couple of weeks, I'm starting humira. I was wondering if anyone had any advice about how to make it sting less or any other kind of advice about the medication. I'm a little nervous about injecting myself, but I know that it will all be worth it in the end, the medication has done wonders for my dad and hopefully will for me as well.

Any advice about, well..anything, would be helpful! Medication, college, anything! Honestly, the only thing I want for my eighteenth birthday is for the insurance to improve the humira for me so I can start getting back to normal again!
Posted 11/14/2011 8:13 AM (GMT 0)
Hello nmd1193,

I found that for the Humira injections it seems to sting less when you do them in the abdomen instead of the thigh. The only other thing i can say about having it sting less is to let the alcohol from the sterilizing wipe dry FULLY before doing the injection as some of the stinging people complain of is because the alcohol getting in when they pierce the skin with the needle.

Good Luck with college and i hope the Humira helps you.

Astro

Post Edited (Astroboogie) : 11/14/2011 1:29:16 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/14/2011 12:59 PM (GMT 0)
I let mine sit out for about 20min just to get the chill off it....it stings less..and I found that out the hard way...lol I took it out and 10 min later injected and wow...
Posted 11/14/2011 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hello and welcome. I don't have any advice about Humira since I haven't been on it, but I do have to do B12 shots every 2 weeks and I have found that if I use Bactine with the lidocaine in it. I put it on, wait 5 minutes or so, then put it on again. Sterilize with the alcohol wipes and then good to go. It makes the needle stick a bit less painful.

By the way, great attitude, with that in your back pocket, you will go far in life! Your parents must be very proud of you.
Posted 11/14/2011 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hopefully Lovely will be along soon. She is about your age and in college and on Humira. So she will be of great help for you. Hugs and welcome to the forum.
Posted 11/14/2011 6:17 PM (GMT 0)
Hi! Welcome to the forum! I know exactly what you're going through, like Nanners said, I'm a freshman in college and take Humira and just turned 19 last month. First of all I highly recommend you find out where the Disability Resource Center is at your school. They will help you throughout your college years and accommodate you. Like giving you frequent breaks in class or abscenses when you're really sick. Once you speak to your professors and the resource center they're usually very helpful. I made the mistake of waiting a long time before applying because I wasn't aware that Crohn's Disease was a disability or about the center.
about Humira, the worst part about Humira for me, was the anticipation of actually putting it on. You can put an ice pack where you are going to inject and leave out the injection for about 30 minutes before putting on. I also have always put them on in the abdomen and it doesn't hurt as much. Humira has been a great help for me, I have had a few bumps in the road, but compared to how I was before, this has been nothing. It really has helped a lot, 10 seconds of a bit of pain once or twice a week compared to Crohn's pain always, it's well worth it. Hope this helps!:)
Posted 11/19/2011 5:03 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you everyone for the kind words and advice :)

I started the humira today (4 doses because thats what the starter kit says for the first time, then 2 doses next time, then 1 dose every time after that) and didn't find it to be too painful. I numbed my leg with an icepack beforehand and the medicine had been sitting out for a little while. Hopefully I start to see results soon!

Lovely985, I agree with you that the disability center at school is amazing. I registered with them at the beginning of the semester and they have been wonderful. With scheduling for next semester approaching, I was worried I may end up with a schedule that makes it difficult for me to eat at the correct times to keep me going through the day/force me to wake up far too early than my body can handle, and I was able to be put on the list for early class registration. I highly highly recommend speaking to disabilities to any other college student reading this!!
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